Living In LoCo

I am a native of Northern Virginia, and a current resident of Loudoun County; as well as a real estate consultant.
Whether you currently live in Loudoun (affectionately referred to in my family as LoCo), or if you're considering moving to the area, I hope you'll enjoy the information you get here! For information on our local real estate market go to http://therealestatewhisperer.blogspot.com/

Monday, May 23, 2011

Marketers no longer must purchase mailing lists to send you junk mail, they can use "saturation mail" through the post office. This makes it easier and cheaper... and perhaps the result is you'll be getting more of it. In fact, that is the goal of the US Post Office. They need the revenue.

It may be what the post office wants, but it is what you want? Do you like junk mail? What about SPAM? There are things you can do to control both. At these web sites you can opt in or out of receiving several types of marketing materials. Check them out.

https://www.dmachoice.org/ ~ A site where you can register to choose what catalogs you want to receive or those you want to block. If you dig deeper you can get your name off lists for charities and product offers.

https://www.catalogchoice.org/ This non-profit group got its start in the ecology/green movement and over 1.3 million households now manage what comes into their mailboxes. You can even cancel your phonebook!

Thursday, April 14, 2011

If you're a disabled vet in Loudoun County, you've been waiting for this. The forms are available and you can now apply for the exemption for your real estate taxes.

Real estate taxes in Loudoun are pretty high, mostly related to growth in recent decades.... somebody's got to pay for those schools, roads and the other infrastructure here. I do enjoy the benefits of living and Loudoun, and honestly, don't really mind paying for them.

That's probably what our Vets here thought, too... until they became disabled. With less income, it becomes much more of a burden to pay for all of that infrastructure. And now they can get a pass!

I would just like to take this opportunity, from the bottom of my heart, to thank ALL our Vets for their many sacrifices... sacrifices I am not brave enough to make personally. What would I do without you? You are all HEROS to me.

Here's the email from Loudoun with details:

Loudoun County Commissioner of the Revenue, Robert S. Wertz, Jr. reports that his office has forms available for veterans to claim the new real estate tax exemption authorized by Virginia voters last November. This legislation provides for an exemption from Loudoun County real estate taxes on the principal dwelling and up to three acres for veterans with a 100 percent service-connected, total and permanent disability. Persons desiring the exemption are required to file the necessary form and provide qualifying documentation. This exemption is also extended to the veteran’s surviving spouse, so long as the death of the veteran occurred on or after January 1, 2011, the real property is maintained as the survivor’s principal residence, and he or she does not remarry.

The new form may be obtained online at www.loudoun.gov/taxrelief-forms, by calling the Commissioner’s Office at 703-737-8557, or in the Commissioner’s offices in the County Government Center in Leesburg or the Loudoun Tech Center in Sterling.